Snow White
by Open Casket Ceremony
Summary: Horohoro loves everything about snow: its color, its beauty, its coldness, and how fragile it is. With just one touch, it can melt and disappear forever. Maybe Tao Ren and the snow have something in common.
1. Tao Ren

Author's Note: As my other two fics are starting to end, here, I am starting a new one. The plot is a tad cheesy, and it will most likely be a lot shorter than my standard 15-20 chapters. I don't know how it will come out, I don't know if it will be bad or good, so give me your feedback on these first few chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King. Neither do any other fanfiction writers on this site.

* * *

My name is Tao Ren. 

My parents, Ran and En, gave me this name in hopes that I would grow to be as strong and beautiful as the lotus flower. Like a real Tao.

And I did.

Like my mother, I had hair darker than a raven's feathers, shining to a shade almost purple in the moonlight. My skin was pale, pale enough to rival snow. I had high, sharp cheekbones, and a pair of golden, cat-like eyes. I was thin with girlish hips. People told me all the time that my figure was quite feminine, but it never bothered me, because I knew that every girl in China would kill to have one like mine.

Although most of my appearance came from my mother, I have been told that I had the personality of my father. I was stubborn, arrogant, and cold-hearted.

I also had an older sister. She was named Tao Jun. She was a strange one among the Tao. Hair greener than the grass, eyes bluer than the sky. I could never understand why she looked like this, but she was my best friend.

I wanted to be like her.

Smart, strong, and talented.

All of China loved her. She was kind and worked hard. An idol to Chinese girls, a role model to Chinese women.

As for me, China did not see me like they saw her. They couldn't look past my appearance. All they knew me as was a pretty Tao boy. A sex symbol. Nothing more than that.

No one ever loved me like they loved her. Not even my own parents.

As my father expected of me, I trained insanely hard every day, from daybreak to midnight. I mastered martial arts and weaponry. I could make an oversoul before I oculd even walk, let alone before most shamans my age would even begin their training.

Like I hoped, I became strong. I cut down and destroyed everything in my way, including people.

But it did not bring me hapiness. It did not merit the affection of my mother and father.

I still could not understand why. I was unaware that all my training had allowed me no time to be with my family. They barely knew me. Other than the fact that I was their only son, and to be heir to the Tao, they rarely acknowledged me.

And I most certainly did not have time for friends.

I was terribly lonely. Sometimes, Jun would keep me company while I trained, but it never lasted long. I wanted to talk with Bason like Jun could talk with Pai-Long. I wanted to talk like we were friends, I wanted to be kind to him. He was the only one who ever seemed concerned for my pride and excellence. But my father told me becoming "friends" with your companion ghost would result in weakness. They were nothing more than tools to be used as the owner pleased.

And that was how I even entirely lost what the meaning of "friendship" was. My mind didn't have room for what my father disapproved of. I could no longer understand the concepts of friends and friendship, I didn't know why people needed them because I certainly no longer did.

Jun stopped keeping me company. I rarely saw her around. Unlike me, she had _friends_. People who cared about her, even if the majority of them were reanimated corpses.

My mother didn't seem to know anymore that I existed.

My father was cruel to me.

Nothing I did seemed to be good enough for him. And he punished me for my shortcomings.

He beat me, he tortured me, he made me undergo pain that a child like I was should never had felt. He carved the Tao family's symbol of hate into my back, as if to remind me that I would forever hate everyone, and he and everyone else in the world would forever hate me.

Oddly enough, I began looking forward to the times that my father would punish me. It wasn't as if I enjoyed the pain, because I certainly did not - sometimes, it was enough to cripple me for days at a time, disallowing me to train during those days, which my father saw as more oppurtunities to punish me.

The thing was, even though he was causing me pain, even though he was punishing me in unimaginable ways, I felt somewhat comforted that at least my father was paying attention to me. If he had the time to take out of his schedule to punish _me_, to focus on _me_ for a few moments, it made me feel a little better.

But, no. I could not exactly call this fatherly love. I was his son, but I knew he didn't care much for me.

So I kept training.

And I got stronger. So much stronger. I surpassed my sister, but my power still could not compare to my father's, so I kept training even more.

As I grew, true to my name, I only became stronger, and more beautiful. My father said it was a shameful for me, a boy, to have such beauty, but it was the only thing I could be proud of myself for, so I chose to ignore him.

I am Tao Ren. A boy who will never love, and never be loved.


	2. Usui Horohoro

Proudly born into the Ainu tribe, my parents called me Usui Horokeu.

I always hated the name Horokeu. It meant "wolf." I wanted nothing to do with the animal, so I buried "Horokeu" deep under the nickname Horohoro. No one ever knew my real name, save my family.

On Ainu standards, I had strange hair. Like my mother, it was blue, but like my father, it was also jet black. I never thought of it as weird, though, and neither did anyone else.

When I was still a pretty small kid, my mother had my little sister, Pirika. She died shortly after the delivery. After her death, my father became distant from me, and my newborn sister. He rarely spoke to me anymore, let alone Pirika, the child that had stolen his wife's life.

And so I raised her and took care of her, like any good big brother should. I taught her everything - how to walk, how to speak our Ainu language, as well as Japanese, how to climb trees, how to make friends, how to carve an ikupasuy, and all about our Ainu ways.

I taught her that we had to keep in balance with nature, and that gods dwelled in everything. She always seemed to enjoy the lessons I gave her.

Sometimes I would take her outside the home to show her the snow, put it in her hands, show her how it would melt upon her touch.

"See?" I would always say. "Nature is fragile. One touch can make everything fall apart."

As she grew, Pirika became a pretty girl. And _she_ started becoming the one who taught _me_.

I was a shaman, and so she made me train. She wanted me to become strong so I could be the Shaman King, and together, we would save the Koropokkoro together. It was a goal that I thought would be worth training for, so I worked hard so it someday may come true.

I did it all for Pirika.

She was the only person who mattered to me in the world at that time.

Growing up in Hokkaido, it was always cold. I can remember that all Pirika and I ever wanted to do all day was to have fun and play in the snow.

I loved the snow.

Everything about it. Its delicate grace, its pale beauty, its cold interior, its fragile existence.

After I left home, hitch-hiking across Japan towards Tokyo, and after the beginning of the shaman fight, my life changed.

There were ups and downs: I won fights, I lost fights.

There was no snow in Tokyo, except for in the winter. I missed Hokkaido terribly, especially the snow.

I think that was what attracted me to him in the first place.

Tao Ren.

He was like snow. His skin was pale, he had a delicate body frame, and, as Yoh told me, he was a fragile boy, he could shatter at any second, due to his rough childhood. And, just like snow, his heart was cold.

Tao Ren was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid my eyes on. But, I kept my feelings to myself. I could never let him know. I was scared he would melt away from my life forever. He was something I couldn't bear to lose. I was terrified for his safety, I wanted to do everything I could to protect him, to protect the snow that had finally come back into my life. That was why I agreed to be a part of "Team the Ren."

We argued lot over nothing. I was agressive towards him, and he was cold to me right back. It hurt so much. I didn't want to argue with him, I didn't want to yell at him and I didn't want to hurt his feelings like I did.

But it hid how I truly felt about him, and that was the way I liked it. So I kept fighting with him.

I was certain he hated me.

One touch is all it would take to melt him, to shatter his already broken soul.

I couldn't do that to him. I couldn't let it happen. But I couldn't tell him I loved him, either.

What is an Ainu to do?


	3. Another Arguement

Author's Note: The introductions were in the first-person point of views of Ren and Horohoro. Now, the remainder of the story will be in third-person point of view.

* * *

"Shut the hell up, Tao. We're not having Chinese food again." 

"Yes, we are."

"No, we're not. I want soba."

"Screw you and your soba."

_SLAP._

Caught off guard with pain and shock, Ren's hand instantly flew to his burning cheek.

Horohoro's eyes widened. What had he just done? He hadn't meant to actually _hurt_ Ren, but his temper had gotten the better of him, and it was like he hadn't been able to control himself as he had slapped the boy.

"What was that for?" Ren spat hatefully, glaring daggers at Horohoro.

"I-I'm so sorry...I didn't mean it...I-I..." Horohoro spluttered uselessly, horrified.

"I'm so horny!" Chocolove piped up, pitifully attempting to make a joke out of Horohoro's apology.

It seemed to be the last straw for Ren.

The Chinese boy gritted his teeth in annoyance, stating a simple "Screw you both," before shoving roughly past Horohoro and storming away. To Horohoro's dismay, he could clearly see tears of frustration and hate threatening to fall from Ren's eyes.

Horohoro started after him. "Ren, wait-"

"If you two honestly hate me that much, then go find someone else to be in your team," he snapped back, cutting the Ainu off.

"No! Ren! Come on, it's not like that..."

It was too late. Ren was gone.

"How the hell do you get 'horny' out of 'sorry,' Chocolove?" Horohoro growled, furious. "Now look what you've done. Why can't you just shut up and forget about making jokes for once in your life?"

"I was only trying to cheer him up," Chocolove protested. "And it wasn't _me_ who had to go and hit the poor kid so hard..."

"I didn't mean it!" Horohoro hissed, starting to get ticked off.

"Excuses, excuses, Horohoro. Everyone knows you hate Ren. It's obvious."

"I don't hate him."

"Yes, you do."

Horohoro's anger exploded in a split second, startling Chocolove as he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"NO, I DON'T! I FUCKING LOVE HIM!"

"I'm puckering at lemons?" Chocolove offered hopefully, despite his teammate's sudden outburst.

"Oh, for the love of...Forget it," Horohoro grumbled, turning away.

"Horohoro...do you really...?"

"Really what?"

"Do you really love Ren?"

Horohoro let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Even if I told you, you wouldn't be able to understand," he muttered. "I don't quite understand myself, either."

There was a long silence.

"Promise me you won't tell anyone, Chocolove. Especially not _him_."

"Fine," the pathetic jokester agreed.

"I'm going to go look for him," the Ainu sighed. "It's not good for him to be alone right now. It's getting dark...and I'm totally aware that Hao has his eyes on Ren right now...he might get hurt, he might get lost...he might..." Shaking his head furiously to get the nagging doubts out of his head, Horohoro quickly started off at a jog. "Meet me back in our hotel room," he called over his shoulder at Chocolove.

He searched everywhere across the town, but couldn't seem to see any sign of Ren.

Hours passed as he frantically searched, worried sick about the boy's safety. He knew i something happened to Ren, it would be partly his fault, and he would never forgive himself if something like that would happen.


	4. Confessions in the Rain

Author's Note: Sorry. This chapter is really short.

* * *

"Tao Ren...join me." 

"Wh-What?" Ren's eyes widened as he took a step back, panicking slightly. He had gotten angry with Horohoro and Chocolove, then he had stomped off in a huff, and now, out of the blue, he found himself being confronted by Asakura Hao.

"They all hate you, Tao Ren," Hao continued smiling. "Your so-called 'friends' all hate you..."

"That's not true," Ren growled, clenching his fists. He refused to show Hao the fear that was gnawing at the corner of his heart.

"Tell yourself it isn't, but it won't make a difference," the fire shaman shrugged. "Come on, Ren. Join me, and I'll how you how to surpass every one of them...I'll give you power, and with that power, you can make them all feel the pain they've made you feel..."

"Shut up!" Ren snapped. "I don't need your help! I'll handle my problems by myself-"

"...Enough power so it will be over twice that of your father's."

The Chinese boy's eyes widened signifigantly. "My...father...?"

"Yes. Come with me, and I'll show you-"

"NO, REN! DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!"

Ren gasped as a pair of strong arms wrapped around him, supporting him, and drawing him into a tight embrace against his rescuer's chest. His eyes drifted upwards, catching sight of a familiar shock of blue and black hair.

"Horohoro!? What the hell do you think you're doing!?' Ren tried to shove the Ainu away, but his grip only tightened on him.

"Leave me alone!" the Chinese boy screamed. Let go of me!"

"Don't believe a word Hao tells you," Horohoro replied angrily, glaring at Hao. "He's lying to you, Ren! He'll only use you for his own good, he won't help you at all...and...it's not true that we hate you..."

He looked up. Hao had disappeared. The sky turned gray, and droplets of rain slowly fell from the sky, swelling into a torrent of rainy water.

"_You're_ the liar!" Ren screamed, struggling to break free from the Ainu's grip. "It's obvious that all of you hate me, don't try and tell me otherwise...you..you..."

Without warning, tears suddenly burst from the Chinese boy's golden eyes. He slumped limply against Horohoro, sobbing softly, shaking uncontrollably. "I'm not stupid...I can clearly see how you all truthfully think of me..." he whispered.

Unsure of what to do, Horohoro reached up and gently stroked Ren's now wet hair, running his fingers through the raven-colored locks. "No, Ren, you don't understand..."

Both of them were drenched by this point. Ren's shivering caused Horohoro to hold him tighter, rubbing his back and trying to keep him warm.

"Forget it." Tears still streaming down his face, Ren pulled away from Horohoro.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, turning away to leave.

Horohoro just stood there in the rain. It was now or never.

"Ren, wait!" he shouted through the stinging rain.

Ren stopped and turned around, glancing at Horohoro.

"Ren, I...I love you," he blurted out.

Mentally, he was thinking only one thing: "Shit. Usui Horohoro, you're an idiot."


	5. Symbol of Hate

"You...what...?"

Horohoro swallowed. "I...I love you, Ren..."

There was a long, excrutiating silence as the two stood in the rain, facing each other, both unsure of what to say and do next. The silence was almost painful, the only sound filling the nothingness was the sound of rain drops beating the ground in a repetitive pattern.

Finally, Ren spoke.

"Don't joke with me, Horohoro." He laughed coldly, turning away. "You and I both don't understand what love is."

"Take a good look at this." The Chinese boy's hands moved to his collar as he undid the buttons of his soaked shirt. Finally, he pulled the fabric from his body, now standing half-naked in the freezing rain. Squinting through the watery torrent, Horohoro's breath hitched at the sight of the tattoo, a mark that would forever blemish the perfectly pale skin. A representation of the darkness that would forever stain the Tao's pure innocence.

"My father carved this tattoo into my back when I was a small child," Ren stated slowly. "No matter how long, no matter if it's a hundred years...it will always be there. A symbol of hate, Horohoro."

The Ainu blinked. "Ren...it's just a tattoo...it's nothing..."

"Nothing to_ you_," Ren answered. "But for me...this represents a harsh fact. I will forever hate and forever be hated. I will never love or be loved. That's all there is to it. The whole truth. Everything as my father says."

"That's not true!" Horohoro protested. "Who cares about your father? He's just some crazy obsessive old man who's so selfish that he won't even allow his kids the freedom they deserve-"

"Shut up."

"Ren, don't let yourself believe those things-"

_"I said, shut up!" _Ren glared icily at Horohoro. The cold, golden, hateful eyes seemed to sear right through his heart.

"You don't know anything about me!" the Chinese boy continued. "Just mind your own business, you nosy Ainu! And don't you dare say anything about my father! I'm a _Tao_, Horohoro. Growing up with parents who never loved you...who would have killed you if you were not to be heir to the Tao...parents who don't give a shit about you...What do you know about that!?"

Horohoro breathed in deeply. "I know your pain, Ren," he muttered. "My mother died when I was barely old enough to remember her. My father acted like I didn't exist. I had to raise my little sister all by myself..."

"You? Raising a little sister?" Ren scoffed. "Learn to take care of _yourself_ first!"

He angrily jerked his shirt back on, fumbling with the buttons. Despite the fact that he was freezing, soaked, and shivering, he maintained his icy glare.

"Ren, you look cold."

"And what does that matter to you?"

"I already told you...I love you. I don't want to see you suffer like that."

Without warning, Horohoro siezed Ren's wrist, pulling him towards him and into a tight embrace. He pressed his lips to his, drawing a startled gasp from the boy.

A strange sensation filled Horohoro's mind as their lips met. He wasn't sure if he liked it or not, and he couldn't find any words to describe the peculiar feeling. Ren's eyes were wide with shock at Horohoro's bold gesture, and he seemed unsure of what to do next.

However, the moment did not last long.

Ren angrily jerked away from Horohoro. "And like _I _already told you..." he hissed, "You don't know what love is!" He slapped the Ainu across the face with enough force to leave red marks on his cheek.

"This doesn't change anything between us," he growled before running off and disappearing into the storm.


	6. What is Love?

"Bocchama...why are you going home?"

Ren propped his feet up on the seat opposite from him, which was vacant. No one had cared to seat themselves next to the young Tao on the train, meaning he only had his ghostly companion for company.

"To get away."

"Get away from what?" Bason inquired, pressing the subject further.

"Everything."

"You're taking this too far, Bocchama. You didn't need to come all the way back here...to China."

"Be quiet, Bason. I'll sort things out by myself."

"Bocchama..."

"I said, be quiet." Ren stood up and walked deliberately past Bason, striding towards the back of the train. He slid open the door onto the balcony, closing it behind him and leaning forward on the safety rail, watching the world go by.

"You know, Bocchama, you can run away from Horohoro, Chocolove, and everyone else. But you can't run away from your own feelings."

"I know."

Ren let out a long sigh. He hadn't been so confused in a while. How sudden and impacting the recent events with Horohoro had been was too much for his mind to process, and now his emotions were at silent war.

"Bason...can I ask you something?"

"Anything, Bocchama."

Ren inhaled and averted his gaze from the ghost.

"What is...love?"

Taken aback by his young master's sudden strange question, Bason seemed unsure of how to answer. He weighed his options and deeply contemplated the right answer to give to his master before speaking in reply.

"Bocchama, love can be many things. The love of your parents...having parents who care for your well-being. Having the love of others...having someone who cares for you and who would do anything for you. That is what I think love is, Ren-bocchama."

"Then I guess I have no such thing in my life," Ren replied bitterly.

"You're wrong, Bocchama. Usui Horohoro...he knows what real love is. Bocchama...he would die for you."

Ren turned around to face Bason. Tears were brimming at his eyes. This scared Bason. Ren was always maintained a tough exterior, he never showed his fears or sadness, he always seemed disdainful and indifferent. But now, things were different.

"D-Don't be silly. Keep in mind, Bason, that I...I am someone who will never love and never be loved..."

"Bocchama, if only you knew how much he cares for you. Why did he join Team the Ren?"

"To make my life miserable," Ren muttered.

"No...it was so he could protect you."

"Who'd want to protect me?" Ren answered. "I've killed so many and reduced myself to only a murderer...a monster...no, that's not right...I am _nothing_. No one, not even a simple-minded fool like Horohoro would waste their time and life protecting _nothing._"

Bason thought for a moment before asking his master yet another question. "Then, Bocchama, allow me to ask you, why he came to your rescue when Hao confronted you?"

"Rescue?" Ren scoffed. He spat over the side of the railing. "He was saving himself, not me. He didn't want Hao to turn me against him and Chocolove and Yoh and everyone else...it was only so I wouldn't gain the power to destroy them all."

"Bocchama, do you remember what he told you in the rain?"

"No. I don't. I make a point not to recall pointless things like that."

"He said he _loved you_. You might not have believed him...but don't forget that he also said he didn't want to see you suffer."

"I doubt he really cares that much. He probably was only saying those to prevent me from going to Hao."

"Bocchama, how do _you_ feel about Usui Horohoro? Tell me the truth."

Ren let out another irritated sigh. "I don't know, Bason. I really don't know. I'm just so unsure of myself right now...I...I don't know what to think anymore..."

"You must return to Tokyo, Bocchama. It is too cruel to abandon the boy who cares for you."

"I'll do what I please. Leave me alone, Bason. You're dead. You can't help me. Now get out of my sight."

Bason bowed his head. "As you wish, Bocchama. But please do consider what I have said. Trust your insticts. Do not waver from the path that is meant to be yours." With those words, the centuries-old ghost vanished into the cold night air.

"Usui Horohoro...what am I to you?" Ren inquired to no one in particular. "If what you say is true...if you really 'love' me...then it's time to prove it."


	7. Pulse

"Running away like a cowardly dog with its tail between its legs from the Shaman Fight over nothing but a mere Ainu boy? For shame, Ren."

Tao En's form loomed threateningly over his son, who in return, simply glared coldly at his father.

"You have brought dishonor upon the Tao," En continued. "No son of mine runs away like that." He turned to the kyonshii guards standing by the doorway, gesturing towards them with a wave of his massive hand that, over the years, had crushed hundreds of innocent people in its path.

"Take my boy away to the dungeons. Flay his back with your whips until he is bathed crimson in his own blood. Do not feed or water him. Now go."

* * *

"You can't be serious." 

A wide-eyed Horohoro stood frozen in mute shock as Bason informed him of Ren's fate upon returning to China.

"This is all my fault," the Ainu muttered. "I shouldn't have let him run away..." He turned away and instantly started walking at a brisk pace, glaring straight ahead. He had already said he didn't want Ren to suffer, and yet, he was letting it happen at the very moment.

"Chocolove, hurry up and get your ass over here," he called to his teammate, whose sense of humor was terrible.

"Where're we going?" the comedian inquired, looking up.

"To save Ren."

"Two hay pens!"

"Screw you," Horohoro grumbled, starting off by himself. "I don't have time for your pathetic jokes. It's Ren we're talking about here. He could be seriously hurt, his father could kill him for all we know. I'm not just going to stand here listening to you babble about nothing and let something like that happen."

As Chocolove racked his brain for some way to make a joke out of his blue-haired ally's statement, he failed to notice that Horohoro had already left.

* * *

Just over a week later, Horohoro found himself in the vast land of China, with nothing but the clothes on his back, his ikupasuy, and Kororo with him. Even worse, he also found himself confronting the most feared shaman in all of China - Tao En. 

"Tao En...is your son nothing to you?"

"He is my heir, and it is my responsibility to raise him properly. Do not meddle in our family business. If you still insist to do so, I'll have no choice but to annihalate you."

Horohoro gritted his teeth. He wanted to run far far away and never come back. He didn't want to be stuck in the situation he was in now. He didn't want to waste precious time, Ren's life - or death - could be determined by only a few seconds. He had to buy himself some time.

His ikupasuy flashed. En barely had any time to notice as a solid wall of opaque ice appeared in front of him. Punctuated with a roar of fury, the head of the Tao family smashed his fist through the barrier, sending icy shards everywhere. But by the time he had broken down the wall, Horohoro had already taken off.

The Ainu was running through the halls and down the flights of stairs as fast as his legs would take him. He had to get to the dungeons quickly, no matter what. His feet skidded through puddles of blood and internal organs as scenes of death and the dying slowly began increasing. With these signs, he knew he had to be near.

He leapt down a final row of stairs, turning a sharp corner. No guards were stationed in front of the dungeon doors. He rammed it hard with his shoulder, sending them flying off the hinges. Without wasting a second, he instantly entered, ignoring his own fears.

Bones and corpses littered the floor. Horohoro could feel vomit rushing up his throat, but he supressed it. He couldn't waste time taking care of himself right now. Desperately scanning the various Tao dungeon cells for any signs of a tongari-haired youth, he continued his frenzied search.

He peered carefully into each cell, wanting to make sure that he did not accidentally overlook Ren.

At around the eighth cell he inspected, a familiar figure was confined to the cell's rear. He froze dead in his tracks, his heart pounding painfully in his chest. He had finally found the boy, but he looked to be in terrible condition.

Ren's hands were chained above his head, and he appeared to be slumped in a puddle of his own blood. Upon closer inspection, Horohoro realized that the unfortunate Chinese boy's entire back was slick with the red liquid. His eyes were gently closed, and his skin was ghostly - paler than usual. He could be unconcious - or even dead.

He hastily sliced through the cell bars with his oversoul, stepping through the opening he had created and heading straight towards Ren. Using his oversoul again, he then sliced through the chains that bound the boy.

Ren's lifeless form slumped limply into Horohoro's arms. The blue-haired youth gently laid him on the cell floor, taking care not to hit his head on the cold stone. Using his sleeve, he carefully dabbed the droplets of blood from the boy's pale face.

"Ren...?" he asked hopefully, taking the boy's hands in his own. "Ren? Can you hear me...?" Swallowing the lump of dread in his throat and licking his dry lips, he ran his finger along Ren's bloody wrist, trying to find a pulse.

To his relief, he could feel a pulse. It was faint, but definetely there. That meant that Ren was only unconcious, and he would have to hurry.

Otherwise, the Chinese boy might not ever wake up again.


	8. Guinea Pig

"Hang in there, Ren, hang in there..." Horohoro muttered, fumbling with the zipper of his jacket. He pulled it off and wrapped it around Ren, trying to keep him warm and comfortable. He checked the unconcious boy's pulse again, it was still faint.

Hurriedly, he hoisted Ren into the air, supporting his weight with a grunt of effort. Holding him bridal style, Horohoro couldn't help but notice the blood seeping through the jacket he had wrapped around Ren starting to stain his hands. So he was still bleeding - and badly, at that.

Struggling slightly, the Ainu slowly made his way up the stone steps again, trying to find the nearest exit. He knew he had to at least get somewhere safe where kyonshii wouldn't attack him so he could tend to the injured boy in his arms.

Horohoro's head spun left and right, trying to find some kind of room or something, or even better, an escape route. There was no doubt that En had already sent some kyonshii on his tail, and sitting around doing nothing was certainly not a wise choice.

He threw the door of a random room open and slammed it shut behind him, locking the door. He took a brief look around to get a good picture of his surroundings.

There was a small and neat bed in the corner, and a small table that looked like it was going to fall apart at any second. He assumed it had to be a bedroom of some sort.

Crossing the room towards the bed, Horohoro carefully placed Ren down onto it. He looked around for something he could temporarily use as bandages - and found none. he resorted to tearing long strips from his shirt and binding them around Ren's chest, back, arms, and wherever else he found necessary.

Brushing the dark stray bangs from Ren's eerily peaceful face, Horohoro sighed loudly.

"You'll be okay, right, Ren?"

No response.

Horohoro rose to his feet, deciding to further examine the room he had selected. On the table was a small photograph of the Tao family.

In the picture, En seemed to be emotionless, and his wife, Ran, was hiding her face behind her fan, as usual. Ren's grandfather seemed to be distracted by something to the side, and Jun was smiling and waving. She was the only one who seemed happy. Off to the edge of the photo was Ren, scowling at the camera with his hands jammed unpleasantly into his pockets.

On the wall was a weapons rack, with a single kwan dao placed on it. Horohoro inhaled. This had to be Ren's bedroom.

He glanced towards the bed. Ren still had not moved.

He turned to a small box of items that had been shoved under the table. Curious, Horohoro pulled the box back out. Since ren still had not regained conciousness, it would be alright to snoop just a little bit.

He dumped the box's contents onto the floor, going through each item. Bits and pieces of memories from Ren's childhood now lay scattered on the floor.

A stuffed tiger with blood splattered on it.

A lotus flower, whose petals were falling off one by one onto the ground.

A roll of paper with various Chinese words scrawled onto it.

And a small, locked box.

"Why's it locked?" Horohoro wondered. Perhaps it contained some type of secret. Once again using his oversoul, he sliced the lock away and opened the box.

There wasn't much inside except for an envelope. The Ainu took the envelope out and carefully opened it. A sheet of folded paper and a photograph drifted out, falling softly to the floor and landing noiselessly.

He glaced at the photograph, eyes widening. It was a photo of Team the Ren. Turning to the sheet of paper, he unfolded it. A letter. His eyes became even wider when he saw who it was addressed to, and what its contents revealed.

_Horohoro:_

_There are several things I need to say to you through this letter.  
First of all, if Bason has given it to you, then it means that I am dead by now. I returned to China fully prepared to die, and I only went back for one reason. I had to know the truth.  
Do you really love me, Usui Horohoro?  
I knew if the answer was yes, you would come to my rescue. If you were only fibbing, as I expected, then you would not have come, and my father has probably killed me by now, which is why Bason delivered this note and not I.  
If, for some strange reason, you found this letter on your own, and if you are indeed in my bedroom right now, then I can be at peace knowing that you truly do care for me. I'm sorry if this has caused any inconvenience for you and I adivse you to leave me here to die and escape by yourself.  
I have included a map of Tao castle, with all exits. I have also prepared an escape route for you, in case you truly are here, which I have also shown on the map.  
_

_- Tao Ren_

Horohoro froze, dropping the letter to the ground. Ren had not seriously needed help. He had only wanted to _test_ him, to see his reaction...acting as if he was nothing but a guinea pig...

He glanced back towards the bed. Ren's eyelids were fluttering open slowly. He blinked several times, struggling to sit up in his bed and looking around, seeming to be surprised that he was back in his own room.

"You're awake."

Ren turned around, seeing Horohoro, who was standing over the letter and photograph.

"Horohoro...I..."

"Save it." Horohoro glared coldly at Ren. "I risked my _life_ to save _your _selfish little ass. I _love_ you Ren. Why couldn't you have believed me to start with? Instead, you come up with this sick little game...you purposely let your father nearly kill you, just so you can see if I'll come and save you or not!? Am I really just some kind of...some kind of lab rat for you? Is that all I mean to you? Ren!?"

Ren looked away, speaking with an equally cold tone. "I said I was sorry. Now hurry up and do what I asked you to do. Get out of here before my father finds you."

"I can't believe you...I came all this way and you won't even let me _save_ you at the least?"

"No."

"I don't care, Ren. I don't care. I'm bringing you back to Japan whether you like it or not."


	9. Withdrawal

5 days later.

"Horohoro...what's that you're drinking?"

"Sake," Horohoro mumbled in response, looking up at Chocolove, who was addressing him. His face was flushed, his eyelids were heavy, and his movement was dangerously unsteady - he obviously had too much to drink.

"Soccer!" Chocolove declared, attempting to make a joke.

"Shut up," Horohoro drawled, his speech slurred and barely comprehensible.

Chocolove frowned, trying to pull the sake cup away from his drunken teammate. "Look, Horohoro, I know you're upset about what happened between you and Ren the other day, but really, you're not the type of guy to just randomly start drinking! And you're underage! Come on, cut it out..."

"Go 'way...I'll drink what I wanna...where's Ren? I want a lap dance..."

"God, Horohoro, you _are_ drunk."

"You idiot."

Ren suddenly appeared, slapping Horohoro across the face, knocking him out of his seat. "You're an embarassment to Team the Ren. Getting drunk when we may have a fight soon? You're disgusting."

"Rennnnn!" Horohoro drawled delightfully. "I've been lookin' for you...I wanna lap dance! Horokeu wants a lap dance! Horokeu wants a lap dance!" He started rolling around on the ground, grabbing at Ren's feet and muttering incoherently.

"Stop it!" Ren hissed, kicking Horohoro. "Don't touch me, you pervert!"

"No fair," the very drunk Horohoro whined. "I wanna lap dance..."

"Shut up! Get a hold of your self, damn you!"

Horohoro staggered to his feet, swaying precariously. He stumbled towards the exit, muttering to himself.

Without warning, the alcohol finally took its toll, and Horohoro faltered. He blinked twice, his eyes then closed, and then he passed out, crumpling to the floor in a messy heap.

Ren's eyes widened.

"H-Horohoro?"

He was instantly at the unconcious Ainu's side, a hand pressed against his forehead to feel for a fever. He shook Horohoro gentley, hoping for a response, but receiving none. Ren acted fast, realizing he had to get Horohoro to somewhere he could recover quietly.

Chocolove grinned at Ren and nudged him. "That's really weird, Ren," he snickered. "You're all mean to him, and two seconds later, what's this? You're..._worried_ about him?"

"Shut up," Ren muttered. Horohoro was too heavy for him to carry, so he had resorted to grabbing the blue-haired youth by the feet and dragging him out the door, towards their hotel room. Chocolove started after him, but Ren held out his hand in a stopping gesture.

"Don't," he snapped. "Just tell Yoh that Horohoro and I won't be joining you all tomorrow, or at least until Horohoro comes around."

"But Ren-" Chocolove began to protest, but Ren had already retreated out of sight.

Inside the hotel room, with much effort, Ren managed to heave Horohoro's form up onto the bed, pulling the sheets over him and pulling up a chair next to the bed. He seated himself, crossing his legs and drumming his fingers impatiently.

"You'd damn well better wake up before we get another fight scheduled," he growled.

Horohoro did not respond.

Ren sighed. "I'm sorry," he finally said, although he knew Horohoro couldn't hear him. "I'm sorry...it's my fault you're in this mess...if I hadn't been so selfish, then you wouldn't have gotten drunk to the point of...of..." he faltered, letting out another sigh and turning away.

What had he done?

Ever since he had carried out his little "test," Team the Ren had slowly begun falling apart. Chocolove's jokes were even worse than before, Horohoro was constantly getting drunk, and he himself had become more and more distanced from the two.

He was starting to wonder if the Shaman Fight was really where he belonged.

He glanced at his oracle pager. A symbol of his participation in the Shaman Fight.

In order to pursue his hopes of becoming the Shaman King, he had thrown his own life away, and he was messing it up for others as well. He couldn't let himself continue to be selfish like this.

Trembling slightly with uncertainty, he slowly bent over and let his lips ever-so-slightly brush against Horohoro's.

"Goodbye," he whispered, removing his oracle pager from his wrist and placing it on the table next to the bed so Horohoro would know he had left.

And the next day came the shocking announcement from the Patch.

_"Tao Ren has withdrawn from the Shaman Fight."_


	10. Favor

_"Tao Ren has withdrawn from the Shaman Fight."_

Horohoro shot straight up in bed, eyes wide. He wasn't sure if the announcement had been part of a dream, or if it had been real life. Still, it shook him to the core. The Ren he knew, or at least thought he knew, would never withdraw from the Shaman Fight.

He glanced to the bedside table, and his heart seemed to drop into his stomach.

An abandoned oracle pager.

_Ren's _abandoned oracle pager.

So it was true. Ren really had withdrawn. But why?

Panicked, Horohoro stumbled out of bed, despite the excrutiating hangover headache he now suffered from. He jerked his boots on and hurried through the door, charging towards the lower floors of the hotel where he knew Chocolove, Yoh, and the others would be. He found them in the hotel cafe, eating and chatting like nothing had happened.

"Where's Ren?" Horohoro demanded frantically.

Everyone stared at him blankly as if they had no idea who he was and what he was doing there.

"Where...The...Bloody...Hell...Is...Ren?" Horohoro repeated, getting annoyed.

"I don't know," Chocolove answered bluntly, stirring his drink absently.

"God," Horohoro hissed. "Forget you guys, I'll find him myself."

He hurried out the hotel door, determined to find Ren before something bad happened.

* * *

For the past hours since he had left the hotel, Ren found himself having nowhere to go. He had resorted to wandering the streets aimlessly, with no particular destination or purpose whatsoever in mind. But it seemed someone else had business with him. 

He stopped in his tracks. He didn't need to turn around to know who this person was.

"How long are you going to keep following me...Hao?"

With a grin, the fire shaman appeared behind Ren. "I'm impressed, Tao Ren. You actually noticed me...I expected as much from you."

"The air is reeking with your aura," Ren snapped. "Any idiot could have sensed your presence."

Hao ignored his statement and continued to speak. "I heard that you withdrew from the Shaman Fight...what a rash decision, but I guess it suits your rash nature quite well. So, tell me, why did you do that?"

"Leave me alone."

Hao's smirk widened. "It's alright, you don't have to answer. I already know what goes through your little mind...But tell me, Ren. What will become of your team? They no longer have three members and they will be disqualified if a fight comes up soon."

"They can find someone else to be in the team, if that's the case," Ren replied coldly. "Get to the point, Hao. I'm losing my patience."

"All I want is to ask for a favor from you," Hao laughed. "No need to be so cold to me."

"I'm not going to do any damn favors for you," Ren hissed.

Again, Hao chose to ignore him. "Ask your little friends to join me," Hao insisted. "Don't worry, I'll put their powers to good use...and even if they get disqualified, they'll still have a future when I become the Shaman King."

"I won't waste my time asking, because I know they'll refuse," Ren snapped.

"Then force them to. I _need_ more power, Ren. Especially power from you, as well as...your dear little wolf boy..."

Ren's temper instantly flared. "Don't call him that!" he almost screamed. "Leave Horohoro out of your stupid plans!"

"Oh, how precious," Hao smirked. "Getting defensive, are we? Then I'll just have to ask him myself, won't I? But I can't have you getting in my way first. You'll be mine, Tao Ren, whether you like it or not."

Ren's eyes widened as the Spirit of Fire materialized in front of Hao, its massive hand swooping down faster than anything he could comprehend...

And then everything went dark.


	11. Fire, Sweat, and Tears

Horohoro was still searching for Ren, and over an hour had passed since he had begun his frantic search.

He stepped into a dark alley to catch his breath in the shade. Panting, he struggled to regain normal breathing, bent over with his hands on his knees.

Suddenly, he heard someone address him.

"Good morning, Horohoro."

He knew that voice too well.

Horohoro spun around, finding himself face-to-face with Hao, who seemed particularly pleased with himself. A little _too_ pleased with himself. He looked smug enough to instantly draw suspicion from the Ainu.

"What have you done to Ren?" he demanded, certain that Hao had something to do with his disappearance.

"What did I do?" Hao repeated. "The mean little boy wouldn't do me a simple favor. But it's alright, I'll just do it myself."

Horohoro's eyes narrowed. "You better not have hurt him, Hao, If you did, I swear I'll kill you and-"

"Does he mean that much to you?" Hao chuckled. "Do you _love _him? Then it would be cruel not to reunite you with him, do you not agree?"

Horohoro clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, furious, but his anger slowly simmered into horror as the Spirit of Fire appeared behind Hao. From its firey claws dangled an unconcious Ren, suspended in the air by a set of chains fasted around his wrists.

_"You fucking bastard!" _

The anger returned, only several times more explosive. Without even thinking, Horohoro jerked his ikupasuy from his pocket, about to attack Hao.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Hao asked, grinning. "If you attack me, then you'll leave me with no other choice..." The Spirit of Fire wrapped its claws around Ren's throat, threatening to inflict harm upon the unconcious boy.

_"...I'll kill your precious Ren."_

Horohoro froze. Reluctantly, he lowered the prayer stick, afraid of what might happen to Ren if he didn't.

"Don't you dare..." he hissed through gritted teeth. "Don't you dare hurt Ren..."

"It's very simple, little Horohoro," Hao smiled. "If you join me and let me use your powers...then I promise I won't hurt your little Chinese whore...much."

The blue-haired teen's eyes widened. He swallowed hard. Either way, Hao would hurt Ren, and either way, it was a lose-lose situation. His frantic pondering was interrupted when he heard Ren, who must have regained conciousness, call out to him.

"No!" he screamed. "Horohoro, don't do it! Don't listen to him-"

"Be quiet, it's rude to interrupt a perfectly civilized conversation," Hao snapped. The Spirit of Fire's grip around Ren tightened severely, causing the boy to cry out in pain.

"Stop it!" Horohoro screamed. "Stop it! Don't hurt him!"

Ignoring him, Hao only commanded the Spirit of Fire to tighten its grip even more.

At that point, Horohoro completely lost it. He raised the ikupasuy again, slashing at the Spirit of Fire with his oversoul. Hao scowled as Horohoro sliced through the chains that restrained Ren, catching the boy before he hit the ground.

"Ren," Horohoro muttered, supporting and holding the Chinese boy with his arms. "Ren, are you alright?"

"I...I'm fine, don't worry about me-Watch out!"

Horohoro was barely able to dodge the Spirit of Fire in time as it's arm slammed into the ground, right where he had been a fraction of a second ago.

"Tsk, tsk, you're a naughty little boy, Horokeu," Hao announced. "But I don't mind. The boy will die anyways..."

Horrified, Horohoro looked down. He could see that Ren's eyes were slowly closing.

"No..." he whispered, eyes widening. "No...Ren, you're not allowed to die, please...Don't close your eyes..."

Hao laughed. "I'll be back to ask you again later," he said. "You've better have your mind made up by then." With those words, the older shaman disappeared in a swirl of flames, leaving Horohoro alone with Ren.

"I'm sorry, Horohoro," Ren whispered weakly. "I really am...please don't do what Hao asks you to..."

"I won't," Horohoro promised. "For your sake, I won't..."

"Thank you," Ren replied, smiling faintly. "I think I know...what love is now, Horohoro." His eyelids fluttered before closing.

A bead drop of liquid rolled down Horohoro's cheek. He wasn't sure if it was sweat or tears.

"REN!!!"


	12. Unexpected Visitors

"How is he, Faust?"

An anxious Horohoro peered over the doctor's shoulder, worry written into his expression. He had run back as fast as he could with Ren, hoping there still might be the slightest chance of saving him, and now, a day later, back in the hotel room, he was awaiting Faust's verdict.

"He'll live."

Horohoro breathed a long sigh of relief. "Thanks, Faust," he answered. "Thanks so much..."

"It's nothing," Faust replied, giving Horohoro the usual thin smile. He rose to his feet and scooped up his medical supplies, signalling to Eliza they were due to leave. "Make sure he gets plently of rest," he continued. "He'll be coming around shortly." With that, he exited, closing the door behind him, leaving Horohoro alone in the room with an unconcious Ren, who had been lain out on a hotel bed.

"Hey, Ren," Horohoro said softly, leaning over him and touching his cheek. Thankfully, it was warm. "When're you going to wake up, huh?"

At that moment, he heard a knock on the door. It seemed that more than one person was outside the door, due to the blurred conversation he could scarecely make out. The Ainu hurried to the door, pulling it open.

"What is it-"

He froze.

"Tao Jun? And, you're...you're Ren's father, aren't you?"

Tao Jun and Tao En looked down at Horohoro with steely, cold gazes. He shivered slightly, taking a step back.

"C-Can I help you?" he managed to stutter out. _Oh, god, _he thought. _They must be here for Ren..._

"We received word from Bason about Ren's misfortune," Jun replied, her voice edged with an emotionless type of ice. "So we came as quickly as we could. Our father would like to have a word with him...now."

"I'm sorry," Horohoro said, his fingers slowly curling into a fist. "Ren's recovering right now. He needs his rest-"

"What happens to Ren is none of your concerns," Jun cut him off. "He is part of our family, not yours."

A weak, thin voice added to the commotion.

"Jun? Is...Is that you?"

Horohoro turned around, his eyes lighting up. "Ren! You're awake! How do you feel?" He was at Ren's bedside in a flash, as the boy was struggling to climb out of bed. "Here, Ren, let me help you," he insisted, putting his arm around him and supporting his weight.

En pursed his lips, appearing displeased, as usual.

With Horohoro's help, Ren managed to limp forward until he was in front of Jun. "Jun...and...and Father..." Ren lowered his gaze, as if he was ashamed to meet his father's eyes with his own.

"Ren," En demanded. "I need a private word with you."

"Anything you ask of me, Father," Ren answered quietly.

En glared at Horohoro and Jun, a silent way to say, "Get the hell out."

"Come on," Jun whispered, pulling Horohoro, despite his protests, with her out of the hotel room, closing the door. As soon as they were outside, Horohoro wrenched himself from Jun's grasp and returned to the door's side, trying to catch the conversation that was happening within. Jun did nothing to stop him.

"Look at you, Ren," En scoffed. "You've let yourself become weak and vulnerable again. It was foolish of you to depend on your..."friends," shall we say, to help you out of the situation you found yourself in the other day. Are you really that helpless?"

"No," Ren replied softly.

"I thought so," En continued. "Do you know why you have been lowered to this state?"

"I don't."

"It is because.." En replied, the volume in his voice rising signifigantly. "It is all because of you allowing yourself to become close to that...that _Ainu!_" he spat, as if the very term was a filthy word which should never be uttered.

Ren looked up, his eyes narrowing the slightest.

"You're wrong."

En's voice became softer, eerier, colder. "Excuse me?"

"I said, you're wrong," Ren snapped, his voice rising. "Horohoro has nothing to do with it. Leave him out of this."

"You foolish child," En hissed, taking a step forward towards his son. "Can't you see? That Ainu boy is sinking far below decency, and he's dragging _you_ down with him! Do you want that to happen, Ren? Consort with creatures of his level, and you will become one of them. Do you understand? From this point forward, I forbid you to see him ever again. You will not speak to him, you will not interact with him, you will not even look at him. Do I make myself clear?"

"I refuse."

"And why is that?" En demanded, the fury bubbling to the point of near explosion.

"Because...Because..." Ren whispered. "Because I love him."

"You idiot!" En roared. In a single motion, he backhanded his son across the face, sending the boy sprawling to the floor in a crumpled heap. "You don't know what love is! You're too stupid and ignorant to ever comprehend!"

Ren silently allowed blow upon blow to rain upon his already frail body, too stubborn to give in to his father's irrational demands.

"Have you already forgotten? You are a filthy, wretched child who will never love and never be loved!"

From outside, Horohoro could hear every word being spoken, every blow being dealt. He could no longer stand it, he could no longer keep it inside himself.

"That's not true!" he screamed. With a hard, fast movement, he slammed the door open with his shoulder, running to Ren's rescue. He shoved En away from his son, taking the trembling boy in his arms.

"That...isn't true," he repeated, panting. "I love Ren. Screw you and your stupid ideas."


End file.
